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Asghar MA, Yousuf RI, Shoaib MH, et al. Int J Nanomedicine. 2021;16:5371–5393 At the request of the authors, the Editor and Publisher of International Journal of Nanomedicine wish to retract the published article. Concerns were raised regarding the alleged duplication of images in Figure 2 and Figure 9 with similar images in Figure 4 and Figure 9 from an article published by the same authors in the International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, Asghar et al, 2020 (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2020.05.197). Specifically, Figure 2C, panel AgNPs appears to have been duplicated with Figure 4A, panel AgNPs from Asghar et al, 2020. Figure 2D, panel CMC-AgNPs appears to have been duplicated with Figure 4B, panel CS-AgNPs, which has been flipped, from Asghar et al, 2020. Figure 9B, panel Streptococcus mutans appears to have been duplicated with Figure 7B, methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus from Asghar et al, 2020. Figure 9C, panel Staphylococcus epidermidis appears to have been duplicated with Figure 7A, vancomycin resistant Staphylococcus aureus from Asghar et al, 2020. The authors explained the TEM images in question were provided by the first author, Muhammad Arif Asghar, and on subsequent review and investigation from this author, have confirmed these images were not satisfactory. However, all the authors accept joint responsibility for the integrity of the reported research and agree with the decision to retract the article. Our decision-making was informed by our policy on publishing ethics and integrity and the COPE guidelines on retraction. The retracted article will remain online to maintain the scholarly record, but it will be digitally watermarked on each page as “Retracted”. This retraction relates to this paper

Muhammad Sikandar,1 Muhammad Harris Shoaib,1 Rabia Ismail Yousuf,1 Farrukh Rafiq Ahmed,1 Fatima Ramzan Ali,1,2 Muhammad Talha Saleem,1 Kamran Ahmed,1 Sana Sarfaraz,3 Sabahat Jabeen,1 Fahad Siddiqui,1 Tazeen Husain,1 Faaiza Qazi,1 Muhammad Suleman Imtiaz1 1Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan; 2Jinnah College of Pharmacy, Sohail University, Karachi, 74000, Pakistan; 3Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, PakistanCorrespondence: Muhammad Harris Shoaib, Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan, Email harrisshoaib2000@yahoo.com; mhshoaib@uok.edu.pkPurpose: Halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) are a versatile and highly investigated clay mineral due to their natural availability, low cost, strong mechanical strength, biocompatibility, and binding properties. The present work explores its role for retarding and controlling the drug release from the composite polymer matrix material.Methods: For this purpose, nanocomposite films comprising propranolol HCl and different concentrations of HNTs were formulated using the “solution casting method”. The menthol in a concentration of 1% w/v was used as a permeation enhancer, and its effect on release and permeation was also determined. Quality characteristics of the nanocomposite were determined, and in vitro release and permeation studies were performed using the Franz diffusion system. The data was analyzed using various mathematical models and permeation parameters. Optimized formulation was also subjected to skin irritation test, FTIR, DSC, and SEM study. Systemic absorption and disposition of propranolol HCl from the nanocomposites were predicted using the GastroPlus TCAT® model.Results: The control in drug release rate was associated with the higher concentration of HNTs. F8 relea

Asghar MA, Yousuf RI, Shoaib MH, et al. Int J Nanomedicine. 2020;15:7841–7859. The Editor and Publisher of International Journal of Nanomedicine wish to retract the published article. Concerns were raised regarding alleged image duplication and manipulation in Figure 8 and Figure 9. Specifically: Figure 8 panel Control, Heart appears to have been duplicated with panel CS-AgNPs 90 µg/ml, Heart which has been flipped. Figure 8 panel CS-AgNPs 30 µg/ml, Heart appears to have been duplicated with panel CS-AgNPs 60 µg/ml which has been rotated. Figure 8 panel Control, Kidney appears to have been duplicated with panel CS-AgNPs 90 µg/ml, Kidney which has been zoomed and rotated. Figure 8 panel Control, Liver appears to have been duplicated with panel CS-AgNPs 30 µg/ml, Liver and CS-AgNPs 60 µg/ml, both of which have been frame-shifted or zoomed out. Figure 8 panel CS-AgNPs 90 µg/ml, Liver appears to have been duplicated with Figure 9 panel CS-AgNPs 60 µg/ml, Liver which has been altered. Figure 9 panel Control, Heart appears to have been duplicated with panel CS-AgNPs 90 µg/ml which has been altered. Figure 9 panel CS-AgNPs 30 µg/ml, Heart appears to have been duplicated with panel CS-AgNPs 60 µg/ml which has been rotated. The same images also appear to have been duplicated with Figure 8 panel CS-AgNPs 30 µg/ml, Heart and CS-AgNPs 60µg/ml, Heart. Figure 9 panel CS-AgNPs 30 µg/ml appears to have been duplicated with panel CS-AgNPs 90 µg/ml, Kidney which has been rotated. The same images also appear to have been duplicated with Figure 8 panel Control, Kidney and CS-AgNPs 90 µg/ml, Kidney. Figure 9 panel Control, Liver appears to have been duplicated with Figure 8 panel Control, Liver, panel CS-AgNPs 30 µg/ml, Liver and CS-AgNPs 60 µg/ml, Liver. The authors responded to our queries and prov

This paper has been retracted.Muhammad Arif Asghar,1 Rabia Ismail Yousuf,1 Muhammad Harris Shoaib,1 Muhammad Asif Asghar,2 Mehrukh Zehravi,3 Ahad Abdul Rehman,4 Muhammad Suleman Imtiaz,5 Kamran Khan5 1Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan; 2Food and Feed Safety Laboratory, Food and Marine Resources Research Centre, PCSIR Laboratories Complex, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan; 3Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy for Girls, Prince Sattam Bin Abdul Aziz University, Al-Kharj, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; 4Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Karachi, Pakistan; 5Department of Pharmaceutics, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Karachi, PakistanCorrespondence: Rabia Ismail Yousuf; Muhammad Harris ShoaibDepartment of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, PakistanEmail rabia_pharmaceutics@yahoo.com; harrisshoaib2000@yahoo.com; mhshoaib@uok.edu.pkPurpose: The current study proposed the simple, eco-friendly and cost-effective synthesis of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) structured silver-based nanocomposite (CMC-AgNPs) using Syzygium aromaticum buds extract.Methods: The CMC-AgNPs were characterized by ultraviolet (UV) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transmission infra-red (FTIR), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX), and dynamic light scattering (DLS) techniques. The synthesized nanocomposites were evaluated for their bactericidal kinetics, in-vivo anti-inflammatory, anti-leishmaniasis, antioxidant and cytotoxic activities using different in-vitro and in-vivo models.Results: The spherical shape nanocomposite of CMC-AgNPs was synthesized with the mean size range of 20– 30 nm, and the average pore diameter is 18.2 nm while the mean zeta pot

Tazeen Husain, Muhammad Harris Shoaib, Farrukh Rafiq Ahmed, Rabia Ismail Yousuf, Sadaf Farooqi, Fahad Siddiqui, Muhammad Suleman Imtiaz, Madiha Maboos, Sabahat Jabeen Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, PakistanCorrespondence: Muhammad Harris Shoaib; Farrukh Rafiq AhmedDepartment of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, PakistanEmail harrisshoaib2000@yahoo.com; farrukh.ahmed@uok.edu.pkPurpose: This study systematically investigated the potential of four model drugs (verapamil HCl, flurbiprofen, atenolol, and furosemide), each belonging to a different class of Biopharmaceutics Classification Systems (BCS) to be developed into oral modified release dosage forms after loading with halloysite nanotubes (HNTs).Methods: The drugs were studied for their loading (mass gain %) by varying solvent system, method, pH, and ratios of loading into the nanotubes using D-optimal split-plot design with the help of Design Expert software. Drug-loaded halloysites were characterized by XRD, DTA, FTIR, SEM, and HPLC-UV-based assay procedures. Dissolution studies were also performed in dissolution media with pH 1.2, 4.5, and 6.8. Moreover, the optimized samples were evaluated under stress stability conditions for determining prospects for the development of oral dosage forms.Results: As confirmed with the results of XRD and DTA, the drugs were found to be converted into amorphous form after loading with halloysite (HNTs). The drugs were loaded in the range of ∼ 7– 9% for the four drugs, with agitation providing satisfactory and equivalent loading as compared to vacuum plus agitation based reported methods. FTIR results revealed either only weak electrostatic (verapamil HCl and flurbiprofen) or no interaction with the surface structure of the HNTs. The dissolution profiling depicted significantly retarded release of drugs with F

This paper has been retracted.Muhammad Arif Asghar, 1 Rabia Ismail Yousuf, 1 Muhammad Harris Shoaib, 1 Muhammad Asif Asghar, 2 Sabah Ansar, 3 Mehrukh Zehravi, 4 Ahad Abdul Rehman 5 1Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi 75270, Pakistan; 2Food and Feed Safety Laboratory, Food and Marine Resources Research Centre, PCSIR Laboratories Complex, Karachi, Sindh 74200, Pakistan; 3Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh 11433, Saudi Arabia; 4Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy for Girls, Prince Sattam Bin Abdul Aziz University, Al-Kharj 16278, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; 5Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Karachi 75510, PakistanCorrespondence: Rabia Ismail Yousuf; Muhammad Harris ShoaibDepartment of Pharmaceutics and Bioavailability and Bioequivalence Research Facility, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi 75270, PakistanEmail rabia_pharmaceutics@yahoo.com; harrisshoaib2000@yahoo.comPurpose: The present study reports chitosan functionalized green synthesized CS-AgNPs, conjugated with amoxicillin (AMX), cefixime (CEF), and levofloxacin (LVX) for safe and enhanced antibacterial activity.Methods: The CS-AgNPs and conjugates CS-AgNPs+AMX CS-AgNPs+CEF, and CS-AgNPs+LVX were characterized by UV–Vis, FTIR, SEM, TEM, EDX spectroscopy. The size distribution and zeta potential were measured using the dynamic light scattering (DLS) technique. The interaction between CS-AgNPs and antibiotic molecules was also investigated using UV–Vis spectroscopy at the concentrations of 5, 50, 500, and 5000 μM for each antibiotic. Antibacterial activity and synergism were assessed by the Fractional Inhibitory Concentration (FIC) index. The mechanism for synergistic activity was investigated by the detection of hydroxyl species based

Sadaf Farooqi,1 Rabia Ismail Yousuf,1 Muhammad Harris Shoaib,1 Kamran Ahmed,1 Sabah Ansar,2 Tazeen Husain1 1Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi 75270, Pakistan; 2Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh 11433, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Rabia Ismail Yousuf; Muhammad Harris ShoaibDepartment of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi 75270, PakistanEmail rabia_pharmaceutics@yahoo.com; harrisshoaib2000@yahoo.comPurpose: To develop the osmotically controlled-release gastroprokinetic metoclopramide HCl tablets, using quality by design (QbD)-numerical and graphical optimization technique for the treatment of gastroparesis and prophylaxis of delayed nausea and vomiting induced by low-high emetogenic chemotherapy.Methods: Formulations were designed by central composite design using Design Expert version 11.0.0, with osmogen concentration (X1), orifice size (X2), and tablet weight gain after coating (X3) as input and in-vitro drug release at 1hr. (Y1), 6 hrs. (Y2), and 12 hrs. (Y3), and the regression coefficient of drug release data fitted to zero-order, RSQ zero (Y4) as output variables. Core tablets prepared by direct compression were coated with Opadry® CA. The experimental design was validated by the polynomial equation. A correlation between predicted and observed values was evaluated by random checkpoint analysis. The optimized formulations were characterized for drug release, pH effect, osmolarity, agitation intensity, surface morphology, and stability study, and were subjected to accelerated studies according to ICH guidelines.Results: The interaction charts and response surface plots deduced a significant simultaneous effect of X variables on in vitro drug release and RSQ zero. The numerical optimization model predicted > 90% drug release with X1 (13.30%)